Acquired the Scam Rune in the Academy

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Professor Kang Dong-wook’s ‘bug’ utilization was certainly groundbreaking.

From his perspective, it was simply a safety device attached because the [Order of Harmony] was an important and precious item to worry about losing, but the situation took a complete turn when the <Villain> stole it from him.

For a long time, we were ever able to find the <Villain>’s base.

It became an important clue to finding this.

After hearing the whole explanation.

We started to seriously make plans after confirming the possibilities.

“So can the location be identified in real time?”

“No, that’s not the case. Since it’s not a location that’s identified through magic, you have to directly explore by following the direction the bug is pointing to. The location the bug is indicating now is facing east.”

His answer implied quite a bit.

It’s the only clue that can identify the <Villain>’s lair, but it also means that the opponent can set a trap if they realize this.

This method also had its own risks.

“Still, we absolutely can’t give up.”

“Yes. This is the only chance to catch the Villain.”

Is he about to explain the detailed plan?

Professor Tak Won-ho walked up to the front and pointed at the bulletin board.

Then suddenly, the lash marks on his chest and wounds here and there caught my eye.

‘Hwang Seong-yeon….’

Seeing Professor Tak Won-ho like this made my anger surge up once again.

He was always the firm, silent teacher, but because of that psycho bastard…

Experiencing a major injury of someone close for the first time, my emotions were all over the place.

I must cut down Hwang Seong-yeon with my own hands.

My head was filled with nothing but those kinds of thoughts.

“As you all know, the <Villain>’s recent attack was practically a declaration of war. Even though they’ve caused countless social controversies so far, they’ve never waged full-on battles with specific groups until now.” .

The moment Professor Tak Won-ho started speaking…

He posted several statements on the bulletin board.

“In light of this, the Korea Holder Association and 42 domestic clans have sent statements saying they will cooperate with the Academy’s operation. If this operation goes normally, it will be the greatest combined force in domestic Holder history.”

Next, Professor Tak Won-ho put up some magnets marked with the Academy logo.

“The reason you have all gathered here before starting the operation is simple. Professor Kang Dong-wook is at the center of operations and involved, and Holder Yoo Eun-seol is currently the strongest force in the Academy. If Holder Yoo Eun-seol agrees, we thought these two would be the core of this operation.”

This time, Professor Tak Won-ho’s gaze turned to Professor Kim Myeong-hyun and me.

“And Professor Kim and student Do Jae-hyun are related to the Anti-Villain circle, another issue from this attack, so I felt an explanation was necessary.”

In other words, the people gathered here are…

the Academy side personnel among the collaborative operation members.

Somehow I ended up becoming the student representative, but that wasn’t very important in the current situation.

Professor Tak Won-ho cleared away the posts and slowly continued speaking.

“Then I will explain the outline of the Anti-Villain sweep operation.”

***

Ippotranslation

***

The departure date was set for tomorrow.

It was to take advantage of the situation and proceed swiftly with the operation before the Villain side noticed our plan.

Professor Tak Won-ho wanted to participate directly in the operation no matter what, but with his health deteriorating rather than recovering… It was too much for him to participate in the operation.

Therefore, he took on the role of the control tower within the Academy, and Professor Kim Myeong-hyun became the overall person in charge of the on-site operation.

Yoo Eun-seol, who is recognized as the strongest of all, was asked first, but she declined the position, saying that she is not an official member of the Academy.

‘We don’t have much time.’

After hearing the operation schedule from Professor Tak Won-ho…

I came to the <Anti-Villain> Circle room and was making my own concrete plans.

First, a review of <Holder Information> and <Rune Information>.

Through this dispatch to Japan and the attack and response to the ‘Smuggling Cave’, I gained a lot of new power.

Just the number of runes I acquired was close to 10, and various abilities including special ability points also increased significantly.

I need time to make these powers and new effects completely my own.

Although one day’s time is quite pressing, it will still be much more helpful than just sitting still.

‘There are some I haven’t read at all.’

Especially for the rune [Promise Bound by Dragon], which I obtained by unsealing the [Forgotten Stone of a Dragon], I didn’t even have time to read the rune information.

Because the situation was urgent at the time, and I knew that training runes cannot be utilized right away.

In addition to those, there were runes and skills that I had not looked at in detail.

I can check them in person when I go to the training ground.

I checked the contents I needed to review in sequence.

Once this personal review is over..

“On our side, 10 people are going like that?”

Group review content.

As if to check this, a cheerful voice rang in my ears.

I turned my head to see her face.

It was Kim Chae-eun.

I hadn’t seen her during the weekend, but somehow she knew I was here and came looking for me.

Was she with…

Moon Ga-eun was sitting next to her as well.

“Yeah. Professor Tak Won-ho said there was no need for that many people to participate, but our club members are too eager.”

I nodded and answered Kim Chae-eun’s question.

10 people from the <Anti-Villain> side will participate in this operation.

For the first year there is me, Kim Chae-eun, Kang Juyeon, Moon Ga-eun, and Park Jin-woo.

For the third year there is Yoon Ji-ah, and a total of 4 members from the second year.

For the first year members, participation is high and we are close to each other, but the participation of other members was unexpected.

Even though I told them it was okay not to participate…

They stubbornly expressed their willingness to participate.

I guess most of them, like Vice President Yoon Ji-ah, were directly harmed by the <Villain> or had quite deep emotional scars.

“Do Jae-hyun. Are you okay? I heard you got attacked in Japan.”

Moon Ga-eun asked with a worried look.

Since the scale of this incident was large, the news spread quickly within the country.

From the fact that a <Villain> submaster participated in the Academy raid, to the attack personnel assigned to us who were dispatched to Japan.

Especially since we subdued the attacking personnel and escorted them back to Korea, interest was focused more.

Although the news delivered was positive…

From the point of view of those around, it was natural to worry about the parties involved.

Understanding those feelings, I smiled and reassured her.

“Of course I’m fine. You know I’m tough. And I can’t let those Villain guys get away with it easily when I’m the president of the Anti-Villain circle.”

With arrogance mixed in my tone.

At that, Moon Ga-eun made a frown, but…

she couldn’t hide the expression that she was relieved deep down.

Seeing things like this, Moon Ga-eun is also the type whose expressions are easily revealed.

“If I knew something like that would happen, I should have gone with you, Do Jae-hyun.”

And without realizing it herself, she made this remark, which was also sincere.

Moon Ga-eun really thinks this way.

It was by no means an unwelcome remark.

As time spent with her accumulated, I could now know her sincerity.

I jokingly threw out a joke because I was grateful for her feelings.

“Oh come on, if you went you might have gotten hurt. I guess because it was so rushed today, I didn’t have the leisure to take care of my archers too.”

“Do you wanna die?”

“Sorry.”

For some reason, more often than not I can’t even recover my principal.

Still, thanks to the joke, the heavy atmosphere loosened up nicely.

While talking with them about this incident and tomorrow’s operation…

Kim Chae-eun suddenly asked Moon Ga-eun as if she found it strange.

“Ga-eun, but are you still calling Jae-hyun ‘Do Jae-hyun’?”

At that sudden question.

Moon Ga-eun asked back with a puzzled look.

“Huh? Oh. Why?”

“You two are quite close. Why do you still call him by his full name with his last name?”

“Huh?”

At that, Moon Ga-eun had a dumbfounded expression.

For a moment I also couldn’t understand and blinked my eyes.

They’re close so why call by full name?

There seemed to be no connection between the two premises…

Of course, it’s true that close friends call each other by name…

But if they don’t, does that mean they aren’t close?

Moon Ga-eun seemed to have similar thoughts as me, pondered for a while, then answered.

“Well, I guess because the form of address has solidified into one, that’s why? I’ve never thought it was strange to call him by his full name with last name attached. It just became comfortable.”

And oh yeah, she snapped her finger and added.

“And Juyeon also calls him Do Jae-hyun, Do Jae-hyun. Since I got to know Do Jae-hyun through Juyeon, I think I just followed the form of address Juyeon uses for him.”

“Ah I see….”

Kim Chae-eun nodded her head as if she understood.

But listening to that, I objected.

“Oh… No.”

I agree with the previous remarks, but the next premise was mistaken.

It looks like Moon Ga-eun is misunderstanding something.

I have to correct the mistake.

“What do you mean no?”

At that, Moon Ga-eun turned her head towards me and asked.

For a moment I wondered if I should say it, but…

On second thought, there was absolutely no reason not to tell.

We would find out sooner or later when we are together anyway.

I scratched my head and answered.

“Um… Juyeon and I decided to call each other by first names. I didn’t know, Juyeon said it takes her some time to get close to someone else.”

…Why does it feel like someone cast a silence spell all of a sudden?

Why did it become so quiet all of a sudden?

“So she said it looks like we’re more comfortable now, so it would be nice to be more casual… while talking about this and that in Japan, we decided to call each other by first names…”

As I innocently answered like that…

My words trailed off near the end.

Because I kept feeling something was off.

‘What!?’

Weird.

Something’s weird.

Even though I didn’t say anything wrong, the atmosphere suddenly changed.

Talking about the confrontation against the <Villain>, the mood was heavy but also lively as we were catching up on the weekend when we didn’t see each other.

It should have been relaxing with casual talk and getting serious starting tomorrow for the task ahead.

‘What… What is it.’

But that bright atmosphere became heavy.

Cold.

Too cold.

As my words continued, the circle room atmosphere became infinitely chilly.

Amidst that silence being broken and their conversation reaching my ears.

“Ha, ha. Wow, wow. Ga-eun, you heard that too right?”

“….I should be called by my first name now too. Yes.”

“What? What does he even mean?….”

“…That’s right. When you get close, you should drop the last name and call by first name.”

“He went to Japan without us for this, for this.”

No, it wasn’t a conversation.

While seemingly having a conversation on the surface…

They were actually just voicing their own words.

It was a collective soliloquy consisting of 2 people.

“But Ga-eun. You have no reason to be upset right?”

“That’s right. Since Juyeon calls him like that now, I should do that too this time. Yes.”

“It’s weird. Ga-eun wasn’t part of the plan….”

Amidst the flow of that incomprehensible conversation.

I grasped my head.

‘…Stop it.’

I’m sorry.

I don’t know what, but I was wrong.

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